Can-capping machine.



C. T. SMALL.

CAN CAPPING MAEHiNE.

1,208,848. APPLICATION FIITED AUG.2I. 1912.

4 SHEETSSHEEF 1.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR c. T. SMALL. I CAN CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-21.1912- 1,208,848. Patented Dec. 19,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

c. T. SMALL.

CAN CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I. I9I2.

1 208,848. Patented Dec. 19,1916.

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

ii I M A O. T. Small,

C 1- SMALL.

CAN CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aua.2t. 1912,

Pzitontvd Dec. 19, 1916 4 SHEETS*SHEET 4- WITNESSES:

mvmron:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESLEY T. SMALL, 0]? ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOMATIC CAN FILLING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-CAPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESLEY T. SMALL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Can-(lapping Machine. of which the following is such a full. clear, and exact de scription as will enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertainS to make and use the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a can capping ma.- chine and more particularly to the improvement on that form of machine shown and described in my prior application Serial Number 659.224, filed November 8, 1911.

The principal object of my invention is to adapt the machine above referred to. to use in applying slip covers to cans or other receptacles.

My invention also relates to certain details of construction, all of which will be described in the following specification and pointed out in the claims allixed hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of machine made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the front portion of the machine; Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly in section; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the can holders; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the cap feeding mechanism; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the center of the parts shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross section f the cap chute; and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged views of the tool for turning over the upper edge of the cans.

Like marks'of reference refer to similar parts in the several views of the drawings.

10 represents the base of the machine on which are carried two uprights l1 and 12. Carried by the upright 11 is an adiustable bracket 13 which carries the can supporting and can feeding mechanism. Adjustably carried in the upright 12 is arm 14 which carries the tool holders and operating de- Vice therefor. The general construction of all of these parts is the same as that set forth in lmy prior application above referred to and will not be described in detail. Briefly, they are as follows:

15 is a rotary table receiving the empty cans from the chute 16 and delivering the same to a stationary table 17 on towhich the cans are guided by a series of adjustable rams 18. Arranged above the table 17 is a rotary turret 20 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. which turret carries a number of can holders 21 which are adapted to be moved vertically into and out of engagement with the cans carried on the table 17 by means of a rotary member 22. These can holders 21 difier from the can holders described in my prior application in that they are provided with a slot 23 adapted to receive a division plate as will be hereinafter more fully described. In addition to the turret 20, the arm 13 carries three vertical plungers 24, and 26, together with the operating mechanism therefor. The spindle 24, in addition to moving vertically, is also adapted to be rotated by gearing as has been de scribed in my prior application. The Spindle 24 carries on its lower end a forming tool, shown in detail in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

The spindle 24 has secured to it by means of pins 30 two collars 31. Arranged between the collars 31 is a rotary collar 32 provided with trunnions 33 engaged by the bifurcated end of the operating lever 34 which moves the stem or spindle 24. The

collar 32, as best shown in Fig. 7 is preferably made in two parts to enable it to be readily applied to the stem. The lower end of the stem 24 is reduced. as shown at 35 in Fig. 7, and is surrounded by means of sleeve 36, the exterior of which is threaded. Secured to the lower end of the reduced portion 35 ofthe stem 24 by means of pin 37 is a plate 38. This plate 38 has slidingly mounted on it a pair of blooks'39 carrying vertically rranged forming wheels 40 which are adapted to engage with the upper edge of the can and turn the same over slightly so as to facilitate the application of the slip covers.

41 are links which are pivoted at one end to upward projections of the blocks 39, and at the other end to levers 42 which are in turn pivoted by pins 43 to upwardly extend 49 is a housing surrounding the operating parts of the devices and engaged at its upper end by means of a nut 50 threaded-on the sleeve 36. The upper end of the sleeve 36 is also engaged by a nut .51 and the lower end of the main part of the stem 24 by nut 52. By adjusting the nuts 50, 51 and '52,

longitudinally relative tothe stem 35 so as to move the blocks 39 toward or away from the center line of the tool and thusadjust the too for use with cans of various sizes.

While I prefer" to rotate the tool in order to turn over the upper edge of the can, as shown in the construction illustrated, it will be evident that the tool might be allowed to remain stationary and the can rotated by means of the check 55, in Fig. 1, as has been described in connection with my prior application above referred to.

After the edge of the can has been turned over by the tool above described, it is brought forward into position to receive one of the slip covers from the cover chute as is best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In this position, the slot 23 in the can holder 21 is engaged by means of a division plate 56.

This division plate receives the can cap 57 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and holds the same up out of engagement with the can top until the said cap has had time to assume the re er position on the plate after which, by t e orward movement of the holder, the plate is withdrawn so as to allow the can cap to settle down',and properly seat itself over the top of the can.

The cap feeding mechanism, shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, differs in some details from the cap feeding mechanism described in my prior application hereinbefore described. The cap chute is formed as follows: A number of brackets 58 are provided to each of which are adjustably secured a number of divided cross pieces 59 by means of cross The manner of rockin of a pivot is an arm 71 the end screws 60, as best shown in Fig. 6. Each of these divided cross ieces 59 have secured to them removab e tracks 61. The brackets 58 carry screws 62 by means of which side pieces 63 are carried and adjusted in relation to the tracks 61. These side pieces 63 are also provided with removable tracks 64 which cotiperate with the tracks 61 to form the guide-way for the can caps. The feed of the can caps through the cap chute is controlled by a rocking lever 65 similar to that described in my prior application. the roqkin lever in the present instance is difi'erent rom that in my prior application. The rocking lever 65 is provided with an antifriction roller 66 which bears upon one end of the arm 67 pivoted at 68 to a bracket 69 carried by the cap chute. Secured to this bracket 69 by means of which projects into the path of the cans which are it will be evident that the sleeve 36 can be moved carried on the table 17 The arm 71 has a rearwardly projecting portion 72 which is connected by means of a threaded rod 73 with the arm 67 which bears upon the roller 66. An adjustable connection between the art'72 and the rod 78 is obtained by a nut 4. The movement of the arm 71 in one dircction is limited by a set screw 75 which bears against the projecting finger 7 6 on the arm 71. .It will be evident that when a can body comes into contact with the end of the arm 71, the movement will be communicated through the rearwardly projecting pol tion 72 and the rod 73 to the arm 67 which bears on the antifriction roller66 and thus causes the lever 65 to feed forward a new cap and deposit the same on the division plate 56. After the holder 21 containing the cap is fed forward so as to disengage the division plate 56 from the slot 23, the cap will fall. down into position over the top of the can and will be forced down over the can by means of a tool or hammer 78 carried on the lower end of the reciprocating rod 25. After the can is fed forward to the operating position, the holder 1 is partially lifted, the can is again operated upon by a weight or hammer 79 carried on the lower end of the rod 26. In order to insure the disengagement of the can from the holder 21, when said holder is lifted to its highest position, I secure to the rod 26 by means of a rigid connection 80 a rod 81 which carries a weight or hammer 82 for engaging the can and discharging the same from the holder 21 in case the can should stick in the holder after it has reached its highest position. The can after being discharged from the holder is carried away from the machine by means of a conveyer 83.

The various details of my machine not described in the present application are the same as those described in my prior application hereinbefore referred to, and conse quently need not be described in the present application.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a can capping machine, the combination with a can holder movable vertically to engage the can, of means for supporting a cap in said holder above the can, and means for moving the holder laterally relative to the supporting member for allowing the cap to drop upon the can.

2. In a can capping machine, the combination with a can holder movable vertically to engage the can. of a plate for supporting a cap in the holder above the can, and means for moving said holder laterally relative to the plate to allow the cap to drop upon the can.

3. In a can capping machine, the combination with a plurality of holders movable of one of the caps simultaneously with he on said rocking member to actuate the latter..

ing caps to said hol er, a rocking member provided with fingers pro'ecting into said chute to control the feed 0 the caps, one of said fingers being adapted to move in fr nt withdrawal of the other finger from in frbnt ofg'another ca a yielding member a an ed in the path 0 the can carried b said 01 er, and adjustable connections gecwsen members. I I

5. In a can capping machinefthe combination with a can holder, of a chute for delivca s to said holder,a rocking member pr ide with fingers projecting into said chute to control the feed of the caps, a yield ing member arranged in the path of the can carried by said cap, and an adjustable arm carried by said yielding member and bearing 6. In a can cappirig machine, the combination with a. can ho er, of a chute for delivering caps to said holder, a rocking member provided. with finglers projecting into said chute and control 'n the feed of the caps, one of said fingers eing adapted to move in ously with the withdrawal of the other finger, from in front of another cap, a pivoted member arranged in the path of the can carried by said holder and actuating said rocking member, and an adjustable stop for can carried by said holder,

and

front of one of the caps simultanelimiting the movement of said pivoted memher in one direction. 7

7. In acan ca ping machine, the combination with a can older, of a chute for delivering caps to said holder, a rocking member provlded with fingers rojecting into said chute to control the fee of the caps, an anti-' frictional roll carried by said member an arm bearing on said anti-frictional roll, a pivoted finger arranged in the path of the adjustable coniiections between said arm and finger, and a stop for limiting the movement. of, said finger.

8. In a cap chute for can machines, the

combination with adjustable side members,-

of removable downwardly projecting tracks carried thereby and cofiperating with the caps in said chute. j

9: In a cap chute'for canmachines, the cpmbination with brackets, of adjustable cross bars carried by said brackets, and removable upwardly projecting tracks carried by said cross bars and cooperating with the caps in said chute.

10. In a cap chute for can machines, the combination with brackets, of adjustable cross bars carried by said brackets, removable tracks carried by said cross bars and cooperating with the caps in said chute, side pieces carried by said brackets and removable tracks carried by .said side pieces and cooperating with the caps in said chute.

In testimony whereof, -I have hereunto set in hand and aflixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

. r C. T. SMALL. [1,. 3.]

Witnesses:

W. A. Anemone, E. E. HUFFMAN. 

